Raiders Owner Mark Davis on Friday "dodged two questions about the possibility he would like to relocate his team to Mexico City," according to Jody Meacham of the SILICON VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL. The NFL on Friday announced that the Raiders will "play one of their eight 'home' games" next season in Mexico City at Estadio Azteca against the Texans. The game is the first "under a three-year agreement" at Estadio Azteca. The tenor of official comments "indicated that the NFL has decided to make Mexico City its most important city for international games and perhaps fill Los Angeles’ previous role as a place where the league could relocate a financially struggling franchise." NFL Exec VP/Int'l Mark Waller said, "This is part of our continued strategy to grow the game around the world." He added that the NFL has "had a Mexico City office for 18 years and, of all North American cities, it has the seventh-largest fan base" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/5). In Oakland, Jimmy Durkin noted Davis "expressed zero issues with the idea of giving up a home game, which isn't a surprise considering the Raiders don't currently have a home" for '16. Davis: "We're honored to be asked to take part again in the international series and the Raiders are truly a global brand. We have a tremendous, tremendous Hispanic fan base and to be able to go see the Raider Nation in Mexico City is really an honor for us, and we're really excited about it. We're looking at it as a home game. We're not giving one up" (OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 2/6).
SILVER & BLACKBALLED? In San Jose, Mark Purdy noted the Raiders on Friday "only came up twice -- each time for just a few seconds" -- during NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's State of the League address. Goodell "first mentioned Oakland's football franchise in a joint answer" about the Chargers, who like the Raiders are "still seeking a stadium in their home city." The other Raiders mention "occurred when he was asked by a Spanish-speaking reporter whether the NFL planned to play any games in Mexico." Purdy: "If Raiders fans are disappointed that the commissioner failed to address the team's situation with greater clarity ... well, please know that local journalists tried to elicit a comment." But during Goodell's entire time at the podium, he "failed to call upon a single reporter from the Bay Area." Purdy: "It was clear to me that Goodell -- and whoever was directing the show -- wanted to hear questions almost exclusively from representatives of national outlets or online sites or (shock!) the NFL Network" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 2/6).
